Just got back from vacation and started playing today. I've really looked forward to this game since it was announced; I have a huge man-crush on Bioware and all of their games.

So far, it seems more ME2-ish in terms of controls, weapons, and galaxy exploration, but the ground maps are much less linear.

From what I've heard and seen, it's got solid gameplay. The plot is average, the voice acting is all over the map(from fairly good to "they're reading off a card with no acting"). The main story quest is fun, but the side quests get repetitive(like DA:I, but not as bad since the fighting is more fun).

The writing and human facial animations can be...comical. There's a character who actually says, "My face is tired." as her model does almost no acting whatsoever. There are also goofy animation glitches. In one cutscene, for instance, someone shoots with a pistol...that she's holding backwards. The shot comes out of the back of the gun.

The multiplayer has been described to me by my roommate as "Like ME3, but more actiony, less covery."

I'm refusing to purchase it before the price drops to around twenty bucks(there's a thing with a racist dev and some of the bugs show an attitude of "they just didn't care"). Which is okay, since after I installed my new graphics card, I checked to see if my comp could even run it and the answer is: "Upgrade your CPU". But if you want to buy it, deals are already getting it down by about 24%. And I highly recommend people look up hilarious videos of the game on Youtube. Hours of entertainment there.

Here's one with a bug that looks straight out of Bethesda: And here's one from PewDiePie with a bunch of goofy animations and some commentary:

Also, while I'm here, let me highly recommend installing MEHEM and replaying ME3. Not a perfect ending, but I like it much more than what they gave us. No star child, for instance. There are also a ton of really interesting other mods that I'm playing with atm that give you access to multiplayer powers as single player bonus powers and some nifty new armors, for instance.

I like how they neatly avoid the problem of how to continue the story from the Shepard trilogy by just launching everybody to another galaxy before that storyline ends. It's refreshing to start with a whole new cast of characters instead of dragging 'ol Garrus back into the crew, and it also means they can introduce new cultures, which is always the heart of BioWare RPGs.

Somehow, the BioWare uncanny valley effect is stronger than usual. Apparently there was a conscious decision *not* to polish the facial animations, and it shows. Some of the interactions are just ******* creepy, with character's eyes moving all over the place like they're looking at a very tiny bee flying around. Adding to it, some of the dialogue and voice acting is sub par for what I've come to expect from a BioWare game. Add in some mediocre character development, and it makes it very hard to connect with some of the characters (like Liam, who might as well walk around with the words "Concerned Community Organizer" bedazzled on his uniform).

Speaking of NPCs, I swear I recognize the voice actors for a few of them: Gil sounds exactly like Alistair, and the swarthy smuggler dude on the outlaw planet sounds just like the swarthy assassin dude from DA:O. Too lazy to confirm.

I like the new/old open map system, complete with swervy-bouncy-jumpy-rover. It's fun to drive around, boosting and ramping off hills. It's also fun to boost-jump around the terrain, although it seems like they used this mechanic as an excuse to avoid smoothing the run mechanics -
if you get stuck on a tiny, ankle-sized rock, just boost over it.

The amount of tasks they give you for each planet is ridiculous, so it ends up feeling more like a chore than an accomplishment to complete missions. You don't need to complete all missions on a planet to reach 100% viability, so it feels like they just shoehorned in a bunch of fetch quests to add length to the gameplay for the OCD completionists. By the time I completed the main story, I still had at least two dozen missions still open, but was already 100% viability on all planets.

The squad-based combat doesn't really live up to prior ME titles. Ostensibly, you pick your two squadmates to compliment your character's abilities, but in reality you just end up picking two characters (Cora and Drack) who won't stand in you line of fire all the gorram time. You can't control when they use their powers, so whether they charge in, set up a power combo, or steal your combo primer is just random chance.

On the plus side, the skill system offers the full array of abilities and profiles to allow full customization, or even cross-specialization. This means you're not necessarily stuck with your original skill choice if you feel like switching from, say, a weapon-focused combat build to a power-focused biotic build.

The ending sets up for a sequel (or two) so hard it hurts.

Overall a decent if not particularly inspiring ME game. I'll play the sequels (there will be sequels), but it doesn't feel as dramatic as the first trilogy what with the lack of potential galaxy-wide extinction at the hands of an uncaring, unknown enemy.

Liam, who might as well walk around with the words "Concerned Community Organizer" bedazzled on his uniform

Demea wrote:

The amount of tasks they give you for each planet is ridiculous, so it ends up feeling more like a chore than an accomplishment to complete missions. You don't need to complete all missions on a planet to reach 100% viability, so it feels like they just shoehorned in a bunch of fetch quests to add length to the gameplay for the OCD completionists. By the time I completed the main story, I still had at least two dozen missions still open, but was already 100% viability on all planets.

From watching my roommate and some let's plays, this is extremely reminiscent of DA: I, which was my second least favorite part of that game. The phone game like "wait 24 hours IRL to complete" table missions being worst part.

Speaking of NPCs, I swear I recognize the voice actors for a few of them: Gil sounds exactly like Alistair, and the swarthy smuggler dude on the outlaw planet sounds just like the swarthy assassin dude from DA:O. Too lazy to confirm.

I'm too bored to not confirm for you. Gethin Anthony was Imshael and "various voices" in Inquisition.

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Oh, how could I forget the unskippable animations when traveling between systems and the asinine planet scanning feature? Scan 8 planets to find 70 units of common minerals, or if you're lucky, a lake!

So I picked this up. Man what a slog so far. I keep thinking, this is going to get better right? RIGHT? The nexus security quest is what you should make someone play if you want to encourage suicide. Hey look at that marker. You can't reach it. We don't do stairs. Take a ******* tram on the other end of the station to another area designed by a dyslexic architect to find that marker. Then go back to where you where. Then go back to the to the other zone. Then do it again. Oh also there is no payoff and the story involved is pointless.

Then I got to space finally. It's going to get better now! I start molesting planets. Nothing. Pointless. I go to the mission planet. OMG actual combat. I can use my skills. Hey some of the profile ideas are neat. Ok it's going to rock now. Nope solve these ****** pointless puzzles now, each one more dull and annoying than the last!

And yes the animations are absolute garbage for this gen. Graphics don't bother me if the game play and story is good but it's just so immersion breaking after playing other recent titles that do it so much better like Witcher 3.

*holds knees in cradle and rocks back and forth. *It's going get better. *I love Mass Effect *it's going to get better

I did love the multi-player in ME3. But I still feel so rusty that I'm not sure I could pull my weight. So far in game there has not been enough combat and I don't have enough skill points to get a feel for much more than basics.

I'm explorer right now so I can strip shields with overcharge, or do a biotic combo with pull + concussive shot. Not sure how good the jack of all trades profile will work out but blinking though walls and obstacles seems really cool.

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An old silent pond... A frog jumps into the pond, splash! Silence again.

I did love the multi-player in ME3. But I still feel so rusty that I'm not sure I could pull my weight. So far in game there has not been enough combat and I don't have enough skill points to get a feel for much more than basics.

I'm sure you'll be fine. Can't be worse than people I've seen my roommate playing with.

Well that's a bummer. I really did start to enjoy the single player campaign more. I'm probably only about half finished though because I got hugely addicted to multi-player. Must open more lotto boxes! Also the shear variety of weapons and characters you can unlock and level up while blasting baddies is quite satisfying.

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An old silent pond... A frog jumps into the pond, splash! Silence again.